Leadership is a lot like grade school. The basics are very similar.
A good leader devotes him or herself to the 3 Rs, reading, writing, and
arithmetic, plus one--rhetoric. The first two are obvious. Leaders do
not advance if they do not learn. And they do not learn if they do not
read and communicate in writing. A leader must also be able to
articulate his or her thoughts to others--the capacity for rhetoric.

Leadership arithmetic is a little tougher to grasp at first. But,
in many ways becoming the new leader to an organization is like
encountering a complex mathematical equation. It conjures up memories of
calculus as we attempt to influence the change of attitude, behavior and
culture over change in time (da/dt). Or we grapple with trigonometry as
we attempt to identify and solve for the group's angles. There are
some basic mathematical rules that can help us to be more effective
leaders.

1. Read the instructions first.

Know what you are trying to solve before you launch into the
problem. There are a lot of variables for you to consider and you could
work on any number of them. But you need to understand the keys to the
equation and the desired results before you set to work on it.

2. Consider the whole equation.

Take the time to look at both sides of the equation and all of the
variables before you attempt to solve any aspect of it. The first weeks
and months in any new organization should be devoted to understanding as
much about it as possible. Only then can you begin to identify which
aspects of the problem should be taken on first.

3. Account for existing values and variables.

It is too tempting, especially early in a new leadership position,
to jump into the equation without thinking through what has already been
worked on and solved. Understanding the work of your predecessor is
crucial to keep you from fruitlessly hammering at the same variables, or
undoing something that has already been solved.

4. Do not do addition without subtraction.

A new leader has lots of new ideas. They will be added to the
equation early on in an effort to effect change and solve what appear to
be the key variables. If you find yourself baffled as to why the things
you are adding are not being factored into the equation, remember that
you cannot really add without also subtracting. Time, energy, and focus
are all finite factors for your subordinates. Anything you add must have
an equal and opposite investment in time, energy, and focus subtracted
from the equation. Balance must be maintained if there is to be any
productive result at the end of the day.

5. Do not miss the exponents.

The organizational chart should serve the needs of the organization
and should change to match the mission and the individuals available to
help meet the mission. There are talented individuals scattered across
any organization whose attitudes and influence are exponential. They are
the power factors in the equation. Remember that you cannot change the
equation without taking their influence into consideration. Challenge
them with meaningful opportunities for leadership. They will surprise
you, and themselves.

6. Factor out the negatives.

There are folks in any equation whose bent will be negative, no
matter the subject under discussion. These are difficult individuals,
regardless of your approach to the problem. You must engage them early,
get them on your side, or remove them from the equation if you have any
hope of solving it. It only takes a single negative individual to change
a positive organization for the worse.

7. Find the common denominators.

Solving conflict is often a matter of reducing a discussion to what
both sides have in common. In practice, we remind ourselves what drew us
into the equation in the first place, the care of Warriors and their
Families, for example. It puts the differences into context and provides
a common framework to solve the problem.

8. Simplify both sides of the equation.

Active listening allows the leader to identify and recount the key
factors on both sides of a problem. When people on either side hear
their leader identify and articulate the essence of their disagreement,
they know that someone has listened to them.

9. Do not forget to account for units.

Everyone in the organization brings their background and experience
to the equation. It is too easy to lose visibility of these aspects of
each variable when you are attempting to work through things. But, if
you keep the units in mind, it will help you to understand the
differences and you can use shared units and experiences to help solve
problems.

10. Check your work frequently.

Devoting regular time to step back from the problems and take stock
of the progress is a key aspect of leadership. There is no one else in
the organization who can be counted on to make sure that crucial aspects
of the equation are being addressed. Stop at regular intervals, review
the initiatives and projects, and make sure that they make sense in
light of the organization's overall strategy.

Leaders are not born, they are made. They make themselves by
attending to basics as leader-learners, just as they did in school:
reading, writing, arithmetic and rhetoric. Retired General Tom Hill
asked me at a cocktail party once what I was reading. It was in that
conversation that he challenged me to read Manchester's books on
Winston Churchill (1,2) and Ambrose's book on Lewis and Clark,
Undaunted Courage. (3) He told me that sometimes he asked young officers
what they were reading, and he got the answer "Sir, I can't
afford the time to read." He would bellow, "Son, you
can't afford the time not to read." Reading is a leadership
fundamental.

So much of fundamental communication is writing modern leaders and
commanders must use writing to communicate their message to their
troops. There are simply too many of them to depend on one-on-one
conversation. The battlefield is so fluid that a conversation held last
week is out of date and devoid of importance a week later. I have
developed the habit of re-reading emails before I send them out, and
having my public affairs officer check every email I intend to send out
to "all users" before I punch "send." I also keep a
file of written "missives" and other articles on the shared
drive which includes my leadership philosophy, philosophy on OER rating,
and others. Effective leaders have to be effective communicators. And in
the 21st century of electronic mail, "Facebook," and blogging,
we must be able to write things that others will want to read.

I am constantly amazed at how often I am called on as a leader to
speak in public, whether at morning report as a department chief, to
residents as a program director, medical staff as deputy command of
clinical services, or any number of forums as commander. Recently, as I
was standing outside the hospital's conference room, my Sergeant
Major asked me to come in and address his meeting of 60 or so Soldiers
who were up for reenlistment. Before I had time to protest (or think) he
called the room to attention and I was on the stage. It happens
frequently. Public speaking is something that can be learned through
practice and coaching. Rhetoric (the use of language to persuade) is a
skill taught to preachers and salesmen. It is something that a leader
can always sharpen. Record (video and audio) your next speech and have
someone whose public speaking skills you respect watch it with you.

Like arithmetic, leadership is a skill set that can be learned. I
am embarrassed to admit that my approach to algebra one in 8th grade was
to copy Jane's homework each morning, and then wonder why my
performance was so poor on the tests. Leadership can be imitated, but
not copied. Like math, it takes practice, patience, and persistence.
Patience may be the most difficult part of the puzzle, because it means
that results of your labor may not become apparent in the
commander's or leader's brief tenure.

I recently received an email from a civilian employee in my
organization which included: "I believe that you will be able to
plant the seed for change. The change will not happen today or tomorrow
and may not happen in the next two years, but it will change ..."
That kind of command "delayed gratification" will require
patience and will provide lots of opportunity for practice. What is true
in math is true in leadership. Remember the 3 Rs plus one--keys to being
and becoming an effective leader.